Just a tad pissed off

I disagree. He stated that the majority of the world's worst schools are in the US. I asked him if he had any evidence to back this up, and he stated there was "plenty" of evidence. That certainly sounds like an assertion of fact to me.

If I stated something and forgot to mention it was my opinion (which I always strive to do) and was then asked for evidence to back it up, I would make it clear it was my opinion, pronto. I certainly wouldn't state there was "plenty" of evidence, then come up with a string of lame excuses when pressed to provide it.

Bruce

 

Let's take this thread to 500 posts. In 140 posts we have solved many of the world's major problems, imagine what we can do by going to 500!

Russell

 

I don't disagree with you, Bruce.

I should have been clearer. It seemed clear to me Ken was really stating an opinion but was trying to present it as fact. The reason I thought it was an opinion is that when he described the rational for his conclusion he gave reasons that indicated to me he felt it was an informed opinion. (i.e., He had worked at 3 or 4 schools, he had attended those schools, etc.) Those kind of "facts" can really only support informed opinions not real conclusions of facts covering hundreds of schools.

 

Amen eh!

(pronounced Ahhmen)

 

Just an observation. I have not read all the postings on this topic and therefore may be somewhat off topic.

My feelings backed up by nothing other than observation is that the average Canadian School is probably academically superior to the average US School. At least this is based on my experience. Now, having said that I can also say that the US provides far greater opportunity for education. My own experience was that in the 1980's there were too many Canadians trying to get into provincial universities. They ended up turning away applicants because they had low B averages, etc. These students would then go to the US where they could get into state universites without any problems.

So, the situation was that we did not have the educational opportunity for everyone who could have benefited from it (at least at that time). Not to mention the US has been FAR more innovative in terms of DL.

A study indicated that at least in regards to minority affirmative action admissions in the US the entering grade point was not a predicator of success. In other words students given the opportunity met the challenge. So I don't know if Canada turning away students did anything other than alleviate over crowding in the Arts & Science building.

As for other issues with the United States, we are talking about a country who produces world leaders in almost any universal field that you can mention. The US system produces innovators. I don't know what percentage graduated from Gopher Gulch State University and what percentage graduated from IVY league.

The other thing is how many of us ex patriate Canadians are in the US/on this forum. We came to the US for opportunity. This applies to all the other Canadians from Bryan Adams, Peter Jennings, Capt Kirk & Scotty, Keith Morrison, Martin Short, to the deceased Lorne Green and the actor Massey (who play Lincoln).

North

 

North, I agree with just about everything you wrote. However, my beef is not (and never has been) about US vs. Canadian or any other nation's schools. My sole bone of contention is Lewchuk's assertion that the US has the majority of the world's worst schools. I've asked him over and over and over and over and over and over again to post the evidence he says he has to back it up. That's all I've been looking for, the Canadian/UK thing is (IMO) a smokescreen he threw up to cloud the issue. Unfortunately for him, it hasn't worked with me. And I'm still waiting for this...ahem...."evidence".

Bruce

 

You have a valid point. Evidence should be in some way quanitifiable otherwise it is just opinion which is not evidence. That is unless the evidence is study which demonstrates that a certain percentage of people hold a given opinion. Which of course still does not validate their opinions as objective reality.

On a side note, I would think that things are not going very well educationally in the former Soviet Union. That is based on appalling reports of their crumbling infrastructure. Very sad situation and somewhat un-nerving for a former super power with nuclear missles.

North

 

Hey, there!

And, of course, my favorite ex-patriate Canadian in bald terms: Pamela Lee Anderson.

Karlos Al "El Caballero" Lacaye
[email protected]

P.S.: What about Hugh Hefner's ex-wife, the ex-patriate Canadian and former Playmate Kimberly Conrad? I have many others Canadian women in mind, but I had better leave it as it is.

 

Checking spelling.

 

Here is a list of famous Canadians: http://www.durtydan.com/ddcc/famouscan.html .

This isn't a list of ex-patriots, but you'll see that many are. From a purely visual perspective, my favorite is Mary Pickford; but alas, unless you're an early film fan, you won't see her much. (She's not vertical, ever, anymore.)

Other favorites: Joni Mitchell and Neil Young.

Most shocking: James Naismith. I've always considered modern basketball to be a 100% U.S. invention, untainted by foreign blood.

Ex-patriot Canadians not on the list: Leon Trotsky and William Jefferson Clinton.

 

What, exactly, IS whist? Phineas Fogg plays it while rattling across Nebraska in Around the World in Eighty Days, but that's all I know.
Nosborne

 

Basics of Whist, at http://cardgames.about.com/library/weekly/aa021800.htm

------------------
Kristin Evenson Hirst
DistanceLearn.About.com

 

according to my kid sister's boyfriend who is an Irishman from Quebec (tri-lingual--French, Canadian English and "burp, eh")here are some famous Canadians the list missed:

Gordon Jump (WKRP in Cincy)
Lord Pirrie (President of the White Star Line that built the Titanic)
Richard Dreyfuss
Ferguson Jenkins (Baseball Hall of Fame)
Nelly Furtado
James Brown (not that one--the sportscaster)
KD Lang (how could they miss her?)
Dick Wilson (Mr Whipple on the old Charmin commercials)
Joe Flaherty (SCTV)

he also says that technically Brendan Fraser isn't Canadian, although his parents were--he was born in Indianapolis so he's a Hoosier

Scott
with too much time on his hands

 

KD Land was as popular with Alberta Cattlemen as Oprah was with Texas cattlemen. At one point they were furious over her vegetarian promotion. As far as I know the lesbian issue did not bother them just the veggie thing.

There sure are a lot of Canucks. Others include Micheal J. Fox, Burton Cummings (Guess Who), Neil Young, a couple of the 60 minutes crew, the guy form Battleship Gallactica (??)- also played the dean on Animal House, Steven (?) Foster the music writer & producer, Norman Jewison. I believe Jim Carrey is also a Canuck (but the US can have him), as was the old guy with the sweater from Hee Haw. I believe Hank Snow was Canadian. At any rate if there were not something about the US we would not all be coming her to make a buck. The US has blessed me. My undergraduate education was Canadian but my graduate was American and I have benefited from the GI BIll which is far more generous than any (?) education benefits in the Canadian military. The only thing was that the Canadian military paid better salaries but it was no easy feat to get in.

North (eh)

 

She's there, 16th on the list in the left col. starting from "New."

 

Hey, there!

Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your view), I am still specialized in Canadian playmates. What about the beautiful Dorothy Stratten, Heidi Sorenson, Kelly Tough, Katia Corriveau, Lisa Heughan....??? In more than one sense, these Canadians beat all the others easily.

My best regards,


Karlos Alberto "Mr. Caballero" Lacaye
[email protected]

 

I'm hoping that the administrators are planning an end-of-the-year awards presentation such as "The Best Of Degreeinfo" or "2001 - A Degreeinfo Retrospective" In the category "Longest Thread - Author" it would seem that I'm a sure bet. With that kind of fame can fortune be far behind?
Jack
(who's no longer pissed off as he just started a long-overdue vacation)

 

From someone who is waiting on a train platform in City #3, with a ticket for the Career Changer's Line:

My train may pass through City #1, but I won't be getting off there. The fact is that there is nothing there I need. I, as a career changer, am deeply concerned with both accreditation and quality. They are not mutually exclusive, and nearly everyone knows that.

I've never thought about crossing the ocean to attend a British university. We American career changers, in general, are too pragmatic for that. Whether or not British schools are better than U.S. schools really isn't an issue for us. I doubt that it's true anyway. The fact is that graduates of U.S. RA schools tend to meet the needs of U.S. employers nicely (at least in the eyes of the employers themselves.)

City #3 is most definately distinct from the other cities, none of which are themselves suburbs of the others. Those of us who live here are looking for ways to meet the needs of employers as much as of ourselves. I guess it's that pesky market pressure again. Consider too, that the diversity in the U.S. system gives us many choices and it can be easy to make the wrong ones. But, the relationship between the market and education seems to work in our (the students', the career changers') favor once we determine where the market's track and education's track cross.

Tracy<><

 

Are we still shooting for 500 posts on this thread?

Craig

 

Actually, I just posted that so I could be a "Member" rather than a "New Member."



Craig